The Fully Sick Adventures of Dende and the Supreme Kai
by Neon and Mali
Summary: The Supreme Kai has booked a gig for The Fellowship of the Strings, but Dende is worried that Gohan cares more about homework than rocking.


**The Fully Sick Adventures of Dende and the Supreme Kai**

**Chapter 1 – The Fellowship of The Strings**

Dende stood at the edge of his lookout, gazing down upon all of creation. Gohan was yet to reconsider his proposal, and the Supreme Kai was beginning to get antsy. It was a Wednesday. He faintly registered the sounds of Goten behind him, as he struggled to load all their gear into their broken down old touring van. They only had until noon tomorrow to convince Gohan to embrace his destiny.

"Can't we just fly down?" Goten asked, sounding breathless from his effort.

"Do what you want," replied Shin, slamming the pedal to the metal and driving over the edge and into the ether.

Dende sighed and mentally steeled himself for the task ahead. It was time.

* * *

Gohan wished he could be surprised when he heard the opening notes of Toto's seminal classic _'Africa' _drifting through his window on the summer breeze. Unfortunately for him, this was the third time this week his study session had been interrupted in this exact fashion.

"What was that?" Videl asked, her voice somewhat distorted by the unreliable performance of Skype. She looked alarmed and slightly concerned – and perhaps intrigued? "Is someone _wooing _you?"

"No," Gohan said quickly, hovering his mouse over the 'disconnect' button.

"Gohan," came the dulcet prepubescent tones of his tween brother, "Come down here!"

"Is that your brother?" Videl asked, "Is that your brother playing a concert on your front lawn?"

"It's probably just the TV," Gohan said, shooting a furtive glance over at his window, only to see the Supreme Kai looming.

"_It's gonna take a lot to get me away from you_," he whispered tenderly.

"You don't have a TV," Videl pointed out, as Gohan began to tremble, out of fear and loathing. He sighed, and struggled to find the words Videl deserved to hear a long time ago.

"There are lots of things you don't know about me," he said, making sure that his brow was creased in heroic sacrifice, "But there may come a day when I can finally tell you everything."

"Um, what?" Videl said, lifting her eyebrow at him, "We have a test like tomorrow morning."

"And I can only pray you'll be waiting for me on the other side," Gohan whispered softly, "Goodbye, Videl. You were the one."

Videl's expression was agonised when he disconnected from the Skype chat, but Gohan had to gird his heart for the task ahead. There would be much to sacrifice, and much pain to endure.

"_I BLESS THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICA," _Shin was meanwhile shrieking.

"Gohan, come down here!" Dende's voice came imploringly, "Shin booked us a gig at a bat mitzvah! A little girl's special day hangs in the balance!"

Gohan climbed out the window, his heart heavy. He closed it behind him. "Look, guys," he said, "We've been friends for years now."

Dende nodded approvingly. Shin seemed to consider his words. Goten's eyes lit up with the kind of delight only children are capable of experiencing.

"But I just can't devote the same amount of time to The Fellowship of The Strings as I did over summer break," Gohan continued, "I've got an exam in the morning. You guys will just have to play the show without me. The show must go on."

Goten's eyes filled with tears. "But," he said, his voice taking on a tearful tremble, "I was gonna roadie. I loaded the van. It's always been my dream to be a roadie!"

Gohan took a few patient breaths. "Three days ago it was your dream to go to Space Camp," he said, admonishingly.

This was a sore subject within the Son family. Chi-Chi had forbade it, given the horrible luck the men in her life seemed to court in space.

"That was until that blood traitor Trunks went without me!" Goten shrieked, kicking a rock that lay at his feet straight through a tree. "He was my _BROTHER!_"

"He was _not _your brother," Gohan scolded him, "And in this family we don't call our friends blood traitors, young man!"

"This is my family now!" Goten cried, gesturing furiously at the two gods beside him, "The Fellowship of The Strings!"

"As long as we're absolutely clear that you're not actually a part of the Fellowship," Shin interjected, earning himself a hush from Dende.

"Look, I'm sorry, guys," said Gohan, "But I can't do this. There's more to my life than the Fellowship." He turned to go, ignoring the burning sting of tears in his eyes.

Shin played a threatening chord on his synthesiser. He wasn't so sure that they needed Gohan anymore, but he couldn't live knowing what he knew.

"What happened to you, Gohan?" Dende asked, his voice hushed, yet strong, unwavering, the voice of a god. "You used to be cool."

Gohan paused, "I _am _cool," he said, and then quieter, to himself, "_Learning is cool_."

"No, you're not, Gohan," Dende pursued, "You used to go on adventures. You used to be someone. You used to _own a dragon. _Now you just sit in your ivory tower, with your elitism and your books." He now shook his head in disgust. "But mark my words, Gohan – the proletariat will rise."

"My parents farm turnips!" Gohan cried, refusing to accept these accusations of bourgeois.

"Whatever, Ox Prince," Dende replied, placing his arm on Shin's shoulder and turning him away from this sorry sight, "Let's go, guys. A little girl is accepting her religious and cultural responsibilities and I, for one, intend to be there."

With a final, mournful glance at his brother, Goten solemnly followed Shin and Dende back to the van, clambering in through the rear doors with tears streaming down his face, ready for another dangerous ride amongst the unsecured equipment. This was his life now. Even if he couldn't go into space, there was another way to live amongst stars.


End file.
